A Beautiful Way To Look At San Francisco’s Fog

People like to complain about it, hide from it, run from it. They pile on the layers and lament the gray sky, nostalgic for sunny days that they pretend they can’t remember.

Well, let me tell you something. I am not one of those people. In fact, I love the fog. I love it so much that this year I’ve missed it a great deal. Because this year, it feels as if we’ve had only sunny days. Do I say that every year? Maybe. But this year it really feels true!

I actually really don’t like the sun very much. I know, call me crazy. Most of my friends do. My roommate and I used to joke about this. I’d wake up and walk into the living room on a bright, beautiful Saturday, and he’d jump dramatically in front of the window, crying, Don’t look! It’s the sun! You’ll melt! Also, my best friend’s quality of life would probably improve drastically if I liked to be in the sun even a smidgen more. He loves being out in the sun. While I’m… hiding in a corner and wishing for rain. Fear of being in a bathing suit is only partly to blame.

So yes, I like the fog. Why? For starters, I’m from the East Coast, where, I hate to say it, but we have actual weather. Real weather. And I’ll say this: weather brings out your emotions. Rainy days/snow days/thunderstorms are great times to stay inside, read a book, cuddle with friends and watch movies. Those kinds of days might make you a little gloomy, but sometimes, that gloom can be productive. Constant sunny days have a tendency to make me feel crazy—in the complete opposite way that they make most people feel. I can’t wait for that fog to roll in. I love to watch it, but I also just love the way it feels. On my skin, and in my throat. It’s cooling and light. I feel freer in fog than I do in the heat of the sun, which to me, can often feel oppressive.

I think too often we forget that the remarkable San Francisco weather is, indeed, remarkable. Which is to say… rare. Not normal. Any day at all in San Francisco- you can do basically anything outside. Picnic in Golden Gate Park? Stroll along the Embarcadero? Just pick a day. Seriously—any one. I’ve gone for a run in the Panhandle every single day this year. (Actually, that’s a hilarious joke. I’ve gone maybe 6 times. But I know I could have gone more than that because weather was never one of my excuses.)

A photo posted by San Francisco Native (@adriansky) on Oct 7, 2015 at 12:57pm PDT

And I don’t really understand why people talk about how summer in San Francisco is really winter. Did Mark Twain say his famous quote once and then it was considered fact every year there on out? How come this ‘winter’ was the first time in 7 years I had to go out and buy a freakin’ standing fan? At worst, you’ll need a slightly heavy jacket and perhaps a scarf—but come on, you know you have a million of those anyway, each one cute as crap. And if and when it rains, it won’t last. So what’s the big deal?

Bottom line: The sun is great. But I wish the fog haters would give it more of a chance. I like wearing a coat and having to button it up to my nose. The way it gives extra body to my hair. The way it makes you want to sneak inside a bar with a great bay window and have a hot toddy. The way it makes the ocean indistinguishable from the sky at just the right time of day. It reminds me of the grit and chill that, though it may dip and fall, is something that makes this city great.

About The Author

2 Responses

[…] 11. Even on the coldest day in San Francisco, we’ll never have to plow snow out of our driveway. And even on the hottest day in San Francisco, it’ll never get SO HOT that we “absolutely can’t stand it.” You know? It’s basically Spring/Fall weather all year long. We can even appreciate our FOG if we look at it from a certain perspective. […]